


to the stars that listen

by merricatblackwood



Category: Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, F/F, F/M, Stardust AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-06
Updated: 2019-07-06
Packaged: 2020-06-23 15:47:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,634
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19704505
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/merricatblackwood/pseuds/merricatblackwood
Summary: in a village called wall, a young man called peter parker wishes to find his heart's desire - something that will lead him on a collision course with a fallen star.





	1. prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I dusted this one off in honour of PeterMJ the movie, I wrote it a while back and I made some tweaks to fit this universe <3\. I split the original first chapter in half, so hence two chapters at once (when i post the first actual chapter in like ten minutes).
> 
> (me @ me, finish your other fics you clown. also me: no)
> 
> Some phrases are quoted/paraphrased slightly from the original novel and I've tried to mimic the style where I can.
> 
> (My twitter is bitandybowen if y'all ever wanna say hi)

Once Upon A Time, as many stories go - there was a young man who wished to gain his heart's desire. 

As far as Peter Benjamin Parker was concerned, he had the worst luck in the entire universe. In truth he may have been right, for as much as he tried (to frequently embarrassing results) he could never get Elizabeth Allan to notice him. 

It seemed like everyone in the village of Wall loved Liz, she was a young lady of a sunny disposition with a quick wit and well, Peter knew that it wasn't like he was the most handsome or the richest of those who lived in Wall. It was on one particular day, not really of any note that Liz Allan came into the shop owned by Peter's Aunt May. 

Liz had the unfortunate timing to enter while Peter was on a ladder, reaching up to grab currants for Miss Brant. Peter looked up when the bell for service rang and immediately spotted the object of his affections and with all his extraordinary luck - immediately fell off the ladder and onto the shop floor. He was half dazed lying on the floor, when he spotted a lovely face peering down at him. 

"Peter?" Liz asked, concerned and nudging a rather amused looking Betty Brant at her side. 

Peter jumped to his feet as fast as he could, leaning against the counter in what he hoped was a good enough impression of those charming men in the novels that all the young people in the village seemed to read. 

"Good Morning Miss Allan! How are you on this fine day?" 

"I'm well thank you, Papa sent me to collect his order on his behalf?" 

"Oh right yes!" Peter ducked into the back room, emerging moments later with a covered wicker basket and passed it over the counter to Liz, his finger tips briefly skimmed her's and if it hadn't been exceedingly embarrassing - Peter thought he might sing. 

"Thank you," Liz said again, giving him a soft smile and a nod. 

That smile caused a bloom of hope to unfurl in Peter's chest as he couldn't help but add, "Might I see you later?"

Liz laughed "You might, Good Day Mr Parker," 

The bell over the shop door rang to signal her departure before Peter could respond in kind and wipe the idiotic smile off his face. 

"You look like a fool," Betty wryly observed as she glanced back towards Liz.

He was a young man in love, they were all fools.

After he and his Aunt had closed the shop, Peter dashed along towards the woods and to the orchard that overlooked the wall that gave their home its name. There gazing at the night sky, perched on a tree branch, was Liz Allan. 

"Liz!" He called up and she glanced down smiling at him.

"Come up!" She called, laughing as he scrambled up the branches to sit beside her and gaze at the night sky. 

"What are you doing out here?" He asked

"I could ask you the same," Liz said, raising an eyebrow at him before pointing up the night sky. "Papa said the stars are auspicious tonight, I wanted to take a look for myself," 

"Not from your window then?"

Liz laughed "No, I wanted to see more of the world than my window, I hope whoever I marry wants to do that as well. Papa thinks I'd do well to stay home, but there's more out there than Wall, England and I want to see it,"

Peter stared at her, wondering if there could be anyone more perfect than Liz Allan.

"I want to see the world too," He whispered, in almost awe "And Liz I...I'd like to see it with you, I really would! I...I love you,"

Liz turned to him, reaching out to take his hand and gently said "Peter, I..." 

He understood from her expression almost at once that it wasn't going to be the answer that he'd dreamed about for months and everything came out in a flood. "I've never felt about anyone the way I do for you Liz, I promise and I think we could make each other happy - I know that I'm not what you deserve but I do love you, I'm sure I do and -,"

"Peter," Liz gently cut across him, "It's not that, you're very sweet but I-,"

Before she could say anything more, their attention was caught by a sudden bright streak curving across the sky and falling down, down, down.

A star was falling, falling beyond the Wall and it was so close that Peter thought he could reach up and touch it. 

"I know I'm not worthy of you," Peter said, almost desperately "But I...I'll go prove myself, I'll go out and bring that star to you to prove how serious I am," 

Liz gave him an amused look, as though she didn't believe a thing were possible and well...who could blame her. People were prone to promising rash things to the objects of their affections, things that they could never deliver upon. 

"Okay Peter," She laughed, "Bring me back that star and I'll give you anything you ask of me,"

"Anything?"

"Anything I promise," 

"I won't let you down then!" Peter laughed giddily as he dropped to the ground from the tree branch, dashing off to begin his daring quest. He had only the most sincere intentions and if in that moment, Liz had asked for the moon - he would have done his best to find a way to bring it back down to earth for her. 

Liz herself watched him run away into the distance with an amused, fond expression on her face - when he came back, presumably without a star in hand, then she would gently tell him what she'd tried to tell him tonight. Once he got an idea in his head though, it was hard to shake it off and Liz hadn't wanted to break his heart, not tonight when he looked so thrilled by the stars themselves.

She gently sighed and glanced up at the sky, "I hope you find what you're looking for, Peter Parker,"

And in the distance, the star herself fell to the land of Faerie at last.


	2. go catch a falling star

It was still dark when Peter eventually hurtled through the doors of the cottage he shared with his aunt. 

May Parker came into the kitchen, strands of dark hair falling down her face as she rolled her eyes at Peter. "Remember to take your shoes off," She chided. 

"I can't," Peter said his words all coming out in a rush, "I can't, I have to go across the Wall and get the star!" 

May's look was alarmed, "Go across the wall?" 

It had long been tradition that no person, whoever they were crossed the wall with a single stationary guard present to prevent any crossings. A fact, your narrator would have mentioned before for what they term 'dramatic license', when in fact it was more forgetfulness. 

"I made a promise to Liz, that I'd go bring her a fallen star back and I -,"

Peter caught the look on his aunt's face and stopped. May herself studied her nephew intently, it might have only been a few years since her husband died and she'd taken up guardianship of Peter and the shop alone. The pain itself felt like a raw wound, ready to bleed out of any bandages that she'd put over it at any moment. Peter might not have been May's son, but he was still her boy and the thought of him going over the wall to a certain fate? May wasn't sure that she was ready for that, she wasn't sure if she ever would be. 

"Peter," May sighed, watching him deflate. "Does Liz really mean that much to you?"

"More than anything in the world," Peter whispered and in her heart, May knew what that meant - it was time to let her boy go beyond the Wall.

"I always dreaded this day," May glanced away, leaving Peter alone in the kitchen for a moment before returning with a box in her arms. 

"May?" Peter asked, confused as his aunt produced a cloth from it - unwrapping it to reveal a candle as black as midnight and a flower, but no ordinary flower - a forget-me-not that almost seemed to glow. Then a final item came from the box, a length of silver chain the colour of starlight, thin that didn't look as though it would hold much.

"It's a long story," May stared at the items she'd laid out on the kitchen table, "One I was always too afraid to tell you and one I ought to have told you long ago, but...these came with you when they left you in the care of your Uncle and I. I hoped that your mother would eventually be the one to tell you it but..."

May trailed off and Peter stared, "Mother? What about my mother?" 

"We...that is your Uncle and I," May sighed "We took you in because your mother asked us, because she was from beyond the wall and all things beyond the wall have to go back its the way of things. You were born there, so...that includes you and that's what I was always afraid of, that one day we'd have to lose you and never see you again,"

Peter's voice trembled, "Aunt May..."

"I know, I know - I must have damned you myself by not telling you - your Uncle Ben went away beyond the wall to try and see what he could find of your father but he came back and he told me that he hoped you never went there. 

"But why would he ask that?"

"That's what I don't know and I'm too afraid to find out," 

Peter crossed the room to his aunt then, who had been more mother to him than his mother had and she wrapped her arms around him. 

"I won't go," He promised solemnly, "Not if you don't want me to go, I'll stay here and I..."

May let out a hollow laugh, "Oh Peter, I can't stop you from going I know you can't,"

"I'll come home then, I promise," 

For a time it had seemed as though all they'd had in the world was each other and now...well now, here they were and he was about to leave home for the first time and go somewhere miles and miles beyond what he knew. Somewhere dangerous, somewhere that his uncle had said never to go.

He loved Liz though and he had sworn a promise, one that he would not break. 

May offered the black candle out to him, "It's a babylon candle, your mother left it for you,"

Peter took it, turning it from side to side "Like the rhyme? It'll take you places by candlelight?" 

May nodded, "I don't know what you'll do with the other things she left for you, but take them - objects of Faerie might help you find that star,"

Peter tucked the flower and chain into his pocket, "May," He said, his voice heavy "I..." 

May bent down and kissed his forehead, "Do what you have to do,"

"I'll come home, I promise,"

"I'll hold you to it kid,"

It was almost to dawn, when the babylon candle was lit and Peter Parker knew what it was like to burn. The dark flame of the candle curled over him and it felt like an eruption, hurtling him at five hundred miles an hour. In his mind, like May had told him - he pictured the star. Take me to the star, he silently willed the candle.

He was hurtling at such a rapid speed that he never thought he would stop, that he would go on and on forever. Even if that might have been his flair for the dramatic. 

Then Peter was falling, falling like there was no tomorrow and he'd never stop.

He landed on what was too soft to be ground with a yell.

The spot on which he'd landed, said with an affronted voice "Do you mind?"

Peter glanced down, immediately blushing when he spotted that he'd fallen on top of a dark haired young lady and immediately scrambled to his feet. 

"Oh Miss I'm ever so sorry!" 

He glanced around, he was in a crater of some sort - digging a good chunk of the way into the ground. It did look like he was in the middle of the forest near to his village, he felt at peace - as though he'd returned home after a long, weary journey.

"Is...is this Faerie?"

"No, it's Timbuktu," replied the young woman, with an eyeroll, enough to tell Peter that she was being sarcastic.

She stood up herself then and Peter caught a glimpse of a thick gold chain around her neck that was tucked under the collar of her dress.

"Oh well, this must be where the star landed right?" 

Peter glanced over at the young lady who stood with her arms folded, completely unimpressed.

"It did," She said coolly. 

"Wonderful! Have you seen the star? I promised that I'd bring it back to the woman I love you see and -"

"Yes this is where it landed," the young woman snapped "And this is where it got knocked over by some flying idiot who plans to kidnap it and haul it off to some stranger because what could possibly be more romantic than kidnapping someone!"

Realisation hit him immediately and Peter stared, granted the young woman was very pretty but she didn't look particularly much like a star. 

Though like Peter would know what a star looked like given she was the first star he'd ever met. 

"The star...it's you?"

"Very observant, would you like a round of applause?"

"I mean - I just didn't expect you to actually be a person, I thought that -,"

"What else. Would I have been?" the star asked, giving him a murderous look before adding with plenty of feeling. "Idiot," 

"No, I didn't mean that I just -," 

"Listen here, whoever you are," The star moved forwards, reaching out to grab him by his jacket - her hand skimming his pocket. "I was perfectly fine and then I just had to fall and then you fell on top of me and I'm not having the best day here so if -," She cut off with a yelp as the silver chain suddenly threw itself from his pocket and looped around her wrist.

Peter jumped back violently, the force of it causing the other end to get caught around his own wrist and tighten. Blindly rooting through his pockets, he produced his old pocket knife and started hacking through the thin chain, in a flash of light it mended itself before he could do anything. 

"Oh no," Peter said frantically, panicking. "No, no, no."

"Did you just kidnap me?" The star snapped, "How dare you?!"

"No! I mean I think we both kidnapped each other! By accident!"

The star gave him another murderous look, stomping over to sit on a nearby tree stump and folding her arms. "Well, I hope that you know because you kidnapped me -,"

"By accident!" Peter protested

"Well, I'm not going to help you at all, you magical flying moron! And I'm going to make things as difficult for you as I can, so,"

"Miss Star I..." Peter trailed off, trying his best to explain "I...I just meant to do this, for love that's all then I'll find a way to send you back home where you belong. Please I really need to keep my promise,"

"Love?"

"Yes,"

The star paused for thought and for a moment, Peter's heart swelled with hope. 

"Choke on it,"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> will this end up actually being five chapters? lol who knows.


End file.
